Work Your Way Up
by pingo1387
Summary: Modern-day AU. Usopp's a bit reluctant about kissing at first, but barriers are meant to be broken down. Established SanUso, high school, one-shot. Cover by PlanarShift.


"Can I see?"

"I'm not done . . ."

"Shouldn't the model slash artist's boyfriend get a sneak peek?"

Usopp ducked his head as he always did when called an artist. "Sanji, come on, just another minute . . ."

Sanji sighed exaggeratedly, but stopped talking and held still. He and Usopp were together in the art room. The final bell had rung some time ago. Sanji was currently modeling for Usopp's sketch, which consisted of the blond propping his head up on one hand and looking off to the side with his eyes.

Sometimes Usopp would unconsciously stick out his tongue a bit when drawing, but then he would quickly bring it back in the second he realized he was doing it.

"Sanji," Usopp said after one of these realizations, licking his lips, "I've been meaning to ask, why do you comb your hair that way? Isn't it hard to see?"

"Mm, not really," Sanji murmured. "I just do it because my eyebrows are strange."

"What, does the other one curl downwards or something?" Usopp asked in surprise.

Sanji sniggered. "Thank god, no. It curls the same way."

"Huh?"

Sanji pulled back the hair covering the left side of his face and showed Usopp his asymmetrical eyebrows. Usopp couldn't help but grin.

"Yeah, I know they're weird," Sanji muttered, letting the hair drop back. "Moss made fun of them enough when _he_ found out."

"No, I . . . I just . . ." Usopp grinned shyly. "I like them. They're cute."

Sanji lifted his eyebrows in surprise and embarrassment. "First time I've heard that." He grinned back. "Thanks."

"Done," Usopp said at last.

"So lemme see," Sanji said, leaning over. Usopp turned around the sketchbook and showed him.

"Wow."

Usopp made a face. "No good?"

"What? No, it's great!"

Usopp frowned and turned the book back around. "I dunno . . . the eye looks weird, and the mouth looks a bit lopsided . . ."

"Mm, c'mon, don't beat yourself up," Sanji said, turning the book around to himself again. "I don't see anything wrong with it."

"I do," Usopp mumbled.

Sanji leaned forward. "You're so hard on yourself," he murmured. "Hey, can I have a kiss?"

Usopp leaned back. "I, uh," he said, flustered. "Uh . . ."

Sanji sat back. "No kiss?" he said.

"Sorry," Usopp whispered, looking to the side nervously as if afraid of backlash.

"Alright," Sanji said. "You nervous about kissing?"

". . . Maybe."

"Hm . . ." Sanji put a finger to his chin. "Alright, hold out your hand."

Usopp held out his right hand palm-up. Sanji gently took it in his own and turned it backside-up.

"Can I have a kiss here?" he said, pointing to it.

"Oh!" Usopp said. "I . . . yeah. Yeah, that's fine."

Sanji dipped his head and kissed the back of Usopp's hand. When he looked up, he saw Usopp grinning nervously and still looking rather flustered.

"Never had my hand kissed before," he mumbled.

"It's so talented with a pencil, so it deserves some love, too," Sanji pointed out, letting Usopp take back his hand.

Usopp cleared his throat. It seemed hard for him to stop smiling, which of course made Sanji smile.

* * *

"Whoa-whoa-WHOA—!"

Sanji seized Usopp's hand as he fell. They were at an indoor ice rink, and since the place would be closing within the hour, they were two of the few people remaining.

"Thanks," Usopp said, straightening back up with madly shaking legs. "How are you so good at this?"

"I store energy in my legs, like a squirrel does with nuts in the winter," Sanji said quite seriously. They shared a laugh.

"C'mon," Sanji said. He held Usopp's hands tightly and brought him along as they skated slowly around the rink.

"Okay," Usopp muttered on their second lap around. "Okay . . . you can let go . . ."

They slowly released each others' hands. Usopp was wobbly at first, but then he straightened and began to push himself along of his own accord.

"Hey, I did it!" he exclaimed. He turned around and grinned at Sanji. "I did it—!"

His skate suddenly caught on something, bringing it to a sudden halt as his other skate flew out from under him entirely, swooping out in front of him, and his eyes widened comically as he fell towards the ice.

Sanji knelt and slid forward on his knees, skidding under Usopp just in time to catch him. Usopp's head ended up on Sanji's lap as his foot slammed into the ice.

"Thanks," he whispered, staring at Sanji upside-down.

"You okay?" Sanji said in concern.

"Foot hurts, but I'll live," Usopp said bravely.

Sanji grinned and brushed some of Usopp's hair out of the way. "Can I have a kiss here?" he tapped Usopp's forehead lightly.

"Sure," Usopp said softly. Sanji lowered his head and kissed the center of his boyfriend's forehead. Usopp was smiling nervously when he withdrew, and of course Sanji smiled back.

Then Usopp winced. "Ow, ow, pain, foot hurts—can we get off the ice?"

"Yeah, of course," Sanji said. He scooped Usopp up bridal-style, ignoring the protests, and skated with him to the rink door.

* * *

Usopp ended up limping for a few days, but recovered soon afterwards.

He and Sanji were sitting on a park bench. The park was filled with the shouts of small children and the shuffling of rodents and rabbits in the pristinely trimmed grass.

Usopp leaned into the crook of Sanji's neck. "It's getting warmer . . ."

"Mm." Sanji leaned against Usopp's head in return.

They watched a flock of small birds flit around the park.

"Usopp . . ."

"Sanji?"

Sanji lifted his head and looked at him. "Can I have a kiss . . . here?" he tapped Usopp's nose.

"Sure," Usopp agreed, and Sanji kissed the tip of Usopp's nose.

Usopp grinned. "Can I have a kiss in—the same place?"

"Of course."

Usopp leaned forward and lightly kissed Sanji's nose. Sanji grinned in response and tapped the spot. Usopp smiled and leaned back into the crook of Sanji's neck.

A while later Sanji found that Usopp had fallen asleep.

* * *

Sanji returned with the ice cream and handed Usopp his strawberry cone. Usopp took it with a thank-you and quickly began licking it.

"Someone's hungry," Sanji said, placing his whole mouth over his vanilla cone and bringing it back up with a _pop_ , taking a good chunk of ice cream with it.

"Mm," Usopp agreed, licking his lips. "Ice cream's great."

Sanji glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. "Say, you got some on your cheek."

"Did I?"

"May I?" Sanji asked slyly.

"May—oh!" Usopp said. "Go . . . go for it."

Sanji leaned forward and kissed Usopp's cheek, taking the dab of ice cream with it.

"Strawberry tastes better when it comes from there," he teased, and Usopp flushed.

* * *

"Seriously, what kind of pose is this?"

"The best kind," Usopp said, grinning. "Hold still!"

Sanji rolled his eyes, but complied. He was striking a pose like an anime character, with a dramatic wide stance, his left hand on his hip (which was slightly thrust out), and his right hand backside-out with fingers splayed next to his head.

"This isn't—what anime's this from?" Sanji said distractedly.

"Not one in particular . . ." Usopp said.

"Wait, you don't watch anime? Then what's with this pose?"

"Because it's cool," Usopp said firmly. "Besides, I've seen some _Dragon Ball_ _Z_ and _Astro Boy_ . . . and _Samurai Pizza Cats_."

Sanji burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, _what_?"

"You've never heard of _Samurai Pizza Cats_?" Usopp said incredulously. "Well, I know what we're doing next time you're at my place!"

"I don't even watch anime, and I'm not watching one called _that_!"

"Don't judge something by its title," Usopp said, sticking out his tongue. "I'm almost done here . . . there."

Sanji dropped his arm and stretched out his legs. "So lemme see."

Usopp shyly turned the book around. Sanji stared.

"No good?"

"No, no, it's excellent! It's just . . ." Sanji frowned. "Why did you draw me without a shirt?"

Usopp flushed. "Uh . . . anatomy . . . practice . . . ?"

"Hm. Just so you know, I do, in fact, have a six-pack. I do _not_ , however, have an eight-pack."

Usopp hid his face with the book. "Artistic license," he whispered.

" _And_ my six-pack is not that defined. I have to flex in order for it to be seen." He pulled down the book and winked. "I could show you."

"Maybe another time," Usopp said quietly.

"Sure." Sanji grinned. "Hey . . ."

"Mm?"

"Can I have a kiss . . ." he tapped his own mouth. ". . . Here?"

Usopp hesitated.

". . . Yeah."

Sanji leaned in halfway. Usopp slowly leaned in and closed the gap. Their lips finally touched and Sanji wrapped his arms around Usopp's back. Usopp slowly did the same.

Eventually they broke apart. Usopp's face was red as a cherry and Sanji's was pink.

"First time on the lips, huh?" Sanji inquired.

Usopp nodded, brushing a finger against his lips. "That was . . . that was . . . great. Amazing."

Sanji grinned. "You're a terrible kisser."

Usopp grinned back. "Guess I need more practice, then," he said, and immediately looked surprised and embarrassed at such a line coming out of his mouth.

"I got the time if you do," Sanji said, and they leaned in again.


End file.
